Helen Virginia Nowlin

On March 16, 1935, in Charlottesville, Virginia, Helen Virginia Nowlin (affectionately known as Ginny) was born to Ellen Rhones and James Smith. She began her new life with her Heavenly Father on January 9, 2020 after battling a long illness.

As a child, Ginny was quiet, reserved, and laid back. She graduated from Jefferson High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 1954, the family moved to Washington, D.C. where she met the love of her life, Robert D. Nowlin, Sr. (Mussy) who she remained with until his death for more than fifty-five years.

A proud mother and doting grandmother, she would do anything for her family. Not only did Ginny sacrifice for her two daughters and five sons, she was also known to take care of most of the neighborhood children. She worked for the Head Start Program for a while but later decided to make home childcare her focus in life.

A good friend and confidant to all she encountered, she was a great problem solver and caregiver with a kind, genuine and helpful spirit. She knew what made each of her children tick and always kept a step ahead of them. She had a fondness for beautiful towels and dish cloths, soap operas, and gardening plants and flowers.

The holiday time will always be remembered at her cozy, warm house. She made a special effort to make Christmas magical for her children. She had a passion for cooking on Thanksgiving. Her favorite dishes included stuffing/dressing, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, corn pudding and potato salad. Other beloved family favorites were her baked beans, spaghetti and meat sauce, potatoes and onions, and fried apples. She also loved hotdogs!

Ginny proudly helped to raise her grandchildren who adored her and cherished spending time with her. She would take time to sit and talk for hours offering her wisdom and sound advice. Her pastime was watching sports, especially college basketball and football. Sports favorites were Maryland, Georgetown under coach John Thompson, and Tiger Woods. Every morning, you could find her reading The Washington Post with coffee before watching daily news programs.

Preceding her in death, her mother, Ellen Wilson, her husband, Robert Nowlin, Sr. (Mussy), and her sons, Michael (Rita) and Gregory (Boo). To cherish her memory, Ginny leaves her children Patricia (T.C.), Robert Jr. (Dawne), Terry (Donna), George (Diane), and Paula. Her grandchildren Anitra (Pooh), Elliott, Helene, Chris, Jayla, Jarica, Sharnice, Greg, Bruce, Tamarea, and Mia (Moo). One brother, William Rhones Sr. (Nunnie, Juanita), one nephew, William Jr. (Buck), and nieces, Pam, Kim, and Lanita, and a host of other relatives and friends.